Fishhook holder



April 28, 1953 A, E, RANDALL 2,636,309

FISHHOOK HOLDER F'iled March 6, 1952 Fig. l

' Albert E. Randall 36 32 I? mms/Ton.

Mm. Y MHMW Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I'his invention relates to a sh hook holder in general, and more speciiically to a sh hook 'holder in which the hook portions of the sh hooks are disposed in a non-snagging position and the leaders associated with said fish hooks being maintained under tension.

The primary object of this invention is to prolvide an improved sh hook holder wherein a plurality of sh hooks may be mounted in an operative position with their attached leaders being maintained under tension through the use of a minimum number of spring elements.

Another object of this invention is to provide `an improved sh hook holder having means whereby fish hooks of various sizes and having leaders of diiferent lengths may be conveniently `attached on a single holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved sh hook holder which may be conveniently formed from plastic material thereby enabling its production at considerably lower cost than structures normally utilized for holding fish hooks and at the same time aordinga holder of extremely light weight which is strong and durable,

a holder that may be economically and readily manufactured from plastic material and utilizes a minimum number of spring elements for retaining a plurality of lish hooks and their associated leaders inoperative positions with their leaders under tension.

With these objects denitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application and which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the irnproved sh hook holder, which is the subject of this invention, the various elements of the holder 7 claims. (ci. l13-515) v25 A further object of this invention is to provide l which are obscured by the side wall being clearly taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line'4-4 of Figure 2 and showing the general relation of a slide member with respect to the housing of the sh hook holder and the manner in which the slide member is spring urged into a leadery tensioning position; and

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken'substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line'E- of'Figure 1 and showing the general construction of the housing and the relationship of the slide member with respect to the top portion of the housing.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions through the specification and throughout views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it is the diierent kseen that the sh hook holder, which is the subject of this invention, includes a housing which is referred to in general by the reference numeral Il). The housing Il! includes a pair 0f spaced parallel identical semi-circular side walls i2 and I4, a flat horizontal bottom wall I 6 extending between and secured to the side walls I2 and I4 adjacent the bottom edges thereof, and an arcuate top wall portion I8 which is formed as a continuation of the bottom wall It and which extends between the side walls I2 and I4. It will be noted that the arcuate top wall portion I8 extends through an angle of substantially 180 and is spaced inwardly of the arcuate edge portions of the side walls I2 and I4. Y

Slidably mounted on the arcuate top wall portion I8 is an arcuate slide member 2li which is shorter than the arcuate top wall portion I8. Carried by the exterior surface of the arcuate slide member 2Q are a plurality of hook elements 22 which open to the right as viewed in the drawings.

In order that the movement of the arcuate slide member Z may be restricted, it has substantially the same width as the arcuate top wall portion I8 and is in sliding abutting engagement with the upper portions of the side walls i2 and I4 and is retained against transverse movement thereby.

f The rotary sliding motion of member 2B along the arcuate top wall portion I8 is limited by a pair of guide elements 24 and 2li which are in the form of triangular ears secured to the under surface of the arcuate slide member 20, The guide elements 24 and 26 pass through elongated slots 28 and30, respectively, in the arcuate top wall portion I3. The rotary sliding movement of the arcuate slide member 2t is limited by the edges of the guide elements 24 and 26 striking the ends of the slots 28 and 30,'respectively.

a Shank portion M and a In order that fish hooks may be secured to the housing Ill, the bottom Wall I6 is provided With a pair of transversely extending openings 32 in which the hook portions of the fish hooks may be passed. The arcuate top Wall portion I8 is provided with a similar fish hook receiving opening 34 at the right end thereof, as viewed in Figure 4, adjacent its intersection with the bottom wall I6. The bottom Wall I6 is also provided with a guide member .35 in :ordertha't the leaders attached lto fish hooks may be maintained in alignment. The guide member 35 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 38 in which the leaders are received. The arcuate top Wall por.- tion I8 is provided with a guide member 40 similar to the guide member 36, the `guide member 40 having a plurality `of spaced parallel grooves i2 therein for receiving the `leaders of the sh hooks. 1

It Will be seen that the fish hooks are referred ato in general tby ireerencefnumeral 249 and has ,.hknortion- The vshank portion 4.6 has secured to :the ifree .end thereof a .conventional "gut leader 4itfllililfl is -provided Vwith a ,loop .end 52.

Referring now toFigure 4 in particular, it :will `be seen that when .it is ldesired to mount a fish vhook 44 and its leader 5.0 onthe' iis'hhoolr holder, the hook portion 48 .of the s'h .hook 1M .may the -disposed through the transverse'openingd inthe arcuate topwall portion i8 with the shank por tion 46 extending below the bottom -wall 16. The leader 50 iis then passed through one :of the `grooves 38 .in the guide member `3E and around `a poitionof thearcuatetop -Wall portion .I'B and over a portion of the arcuate. slide :member 29 and terminating with its "loop yend 52 hooked around one of the hook elements'22. Since the hook elements 22 are in staggeredrelation, ahook element 22 will be available for any Vlength vof leader 50.

In order that the leader 50 may beniaintained under tension, spring means are connectedto the arcuate slide member 2u for urging it and its associated hook elements `22 Ato the right, as viewed in `Figure 4. The spring means include an attaching ear 54 lsecured to the upper surface of the bottom wall I6 adjacent the right end thereof. The attaching ear 54 is Aprovided with van opening 55 adjacent its upper end inwhich are received hook ends 58 and 50 ,of .coil tension springs 62. and 54 respectively- The coil spring 52 is provided with a second hooi: end 66 .which passes through en opening 58 in thegeuide element'M. The coil spring 64 is also `.provided with a second hook end 'i0 which 1S received Within an opening 12 Vin the guide .element 2B. "Whenit is desired to attach the loop end 52 of the leader 5D .to one of the hook elements .22, the .arcuate slide .member 2i) is moved .to 'the.let, as viewed inliigvure 4, against .the tension of the springs .52 and S4 and the loop end '52 is Aattached .around a .convenient hook element .22. The arcuate vslide member 20 is then released and it moves to the right due to the urging of the coil springs .62 and 64 thereby tensioning the leader 5B.

It will be noted that the -iish hooks d4 Aand `their Iassociated leaders `El), as illustrated in Figure r3, are hooked in the transverse openings 32 in the bottom Wall i6 and their leaders pass through diiierent grooves 38 in .theguide member v36. In .Figure 2, other leaders .50 are-illustrated as being attached to different hook elements 22, one .of the leaders 50 being ofisuch length'thatit is vwrapped around the housing I0 a completelturn,

In view of the various manners in which the iish hooks 44 and their associated leaders 50 are illustrated as being attached to the fish holder in Figures 2, 3 and 4, it is readily apparent that the iish hooks and their associated leaders may be of any size and secured to the holder in nu merous positions.

It is preferred that all of the elements of the fish hook holder be formed of plastic, with the exception of the coil springs 32 and '64, :although Vother materials `may be utilized -in the lconstruction of the iish hook holder. However, regardless of What materials the sh hook holder is formed, it is desired that the side Walls l2 and I4 be of such extent that the arcuate slide plate 12D, itsassociated hook elements 22, and the sh .hooks 4% .and their associated leaders 50 be entirely'be'low the planes passed through adjacent edges .of the side walls i2 and i4 in order to be completely enclosed therein.

The .operation .of this device -willhe understood yfrom the foregoing description of vthe details thereof, taken in connection with the .above -re cited objects and drawings. Furtherdescription AWould 4appear to he unnecessary.

Minor modifications .of the device, varying in minor details from the-embodiment of the .device illustrated and described here, may vloe resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope .of this invention, as defined intheappended-claims.

`Having described the invention, whatisfclaimed as new is:

Vl. A fish hook and leader vholder-comprising a housing having an'arcuatesurface portioma corresponding ar,cuate:slidemember slidably mounted on said arcuate surface portion, a rplurality of hook elements carried by said :slide member andadapted to be'engaged by;loop 'endsnflleaders said Yhousing having openings for receiving the hook portions-o iish 'hookscarried by said 'leaders, and means for sliding saidslide inember'to tension said leaders.

2. A nsh hook :and leader Aholder comprising Aa housing havingan arcuate surface portion, acorresponding arcuate slide member slidably mount.- ed on said arcuate surface iportion, a plurality of hook elements carried by said slide member 4and adapted'to he engaged byloop ends `of leaders, said housing having .openings for .receiving 'the hook portionsof sh hooks .carried by vsaid leadi- Vers, and means Vfor sliding said slide member to tension said leaders, said means including spring yf :lements .carried by vsaid vhousing and :attached to said slide member.

The 'holder of claim 2 wherein 'said `Aspring elements are mounted :entirely withinsaidfhousing.

'4. A fish hookand'leader holder comprising 'a :housing having an arcuate rsurface portion, Aa corresponding arcuate slide member slidably mounted on said arcuate surface portion, la plurality of hook elements carriedby said slide mem- 'ber and adapted to be engaged by loop ends .of "leaders, said housing having openings for receiving the hook portions of sh hooks carried by said leaders, means for sliding said slide member to tension said leaders, said varcuate surface portion being provided with kslots therein, and `guide elements icarried Aby said slide member guidingly disposed Within said slots.

5. -A .sh .hook and leader holder romprising a Yhousing having an arcuate surface portion, a corresponding arcuate .slide member slidably mounted on said arcuate surface portomla plurality of hooklelements carried rby said f-slide member and adapted to be engaged by loop en ds of leaders, said housing having openings for receiving the hook portions of sh hooks carried by said leaders, means for sliding said slide mem f ber tol tension said leaders, said arcuate surface" portion being provided with slots therein, and

lguide elements carried by said slide member member and adapted to be engaged by loop ends u of leaders, said housing having openings for-ire- 6 side Walls and an arcuate top surface portion, said side Walls extending upwardly beyond said arcuate top surface portion, an arcuate slide member slidably mounted on said arcuate surface portion and retained between the side walls,

a plurality of hooi; elements carried by said slide member and adapted to be engaged by loop ends ceivng the hook portions of sh hooks carried by said leaders, and means for sliding said slide member to tension said leaders.

7. A iish hook and leader holder comprising a housing including a bottom wall, semi-circular of leaders, said housing having openings for receiving the hook portions of sh hooks carried by said leaders, means for sliding said slide member to tension said leaders, and guide members carried by said base and arcuate surface portion for aiigning the leaders.

ALBERT E. RANDALL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,451,256 Gardner Apr. l0, 1923 2,448,728 Omohundro Sept. 7, 1948 2,493,344 Hamel Jan. 3, 1950 2,584,430 Dayton et al Feb. 5, 1952 2,604,721 Casciano July 29, 1952 

